Two national rowers join PSC 'priority' program

MANILA, Philippines - After the entire track and field team, two bets from sailing have shown their interest to sign up for the Philippine Sports Commission’s “priority athletes” program, which continues to see little movement from prospective beneficiaries.

Ridgely Balladares and Rommel Chavez, who won a silver medal in the men’s International 470 Class in the last Southeast Asian Games, submitted their credentials to the PSC’s NSA Affairs the other day to facilitate their inclusion in the program.

“It will be a big boost for us if, under this program, we can train abroad,” said Balladares in Filipino. 

“We don’t have any challenges in terms of competitive level here so the best thing is for us to train in Australia or Japan,” Chavez said.

Balladares and Chavez are both enlisted with the Philippine Navy, carrying ranks of PO3, but they see no problem with their mother unit should they train full-time under the PSC program.

“There’s a memorandum of agreement between the PSC and the AFP and I’m sure there will be cooperation (between the government entities),” Balladares said.

The “full-time” training commitment required by the program is apparently what’s keeping majority of the 140-plus prospects from signing up as “priority athletes.” Some couldn’t give up their sidelines, such as coaching varsity teams, while some wouldn’t wish to disrupt their studies.

Medalists from athletics were the first to signify their intention to become “priority athletes.”